> In an era where credit cards have to be whipped out and customer service argued with to change the channel-app, its likely I'll subscribe to an anime streaming service and never even have the ability to see ESPN.

crunchyroll.com

I use it on my PS4 (I think they have a Wii-U app as well).

I think the idea of television as a big dumb screen driven by something else has a lot of merit, but I doubt it'll be run by a smartphone.